Stephen Payne
Wholesale Voice telecom
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About
Technology and telecommunications professional with 20+ years' experience across telecom wholesale trading, enterprise IT infrastructure, and technology automation. Proven ability to combine commercial telecom expertise with technical system development to improve operational efficiency, reduce disputes, and optimise revenue performance. Extensive experience managing global carrier relationships, developing trading platforms, implementing enterprise technology solutions, and delivering large-scale infrastructure deployments supporting thousands of users.
Known for automation, process improvement, and building technology solutions that eliminate manual processes and reduce operational overhead. Strong background working in high-pressure target-driven environments across telecom trading, enterprise IT support, and consulting engagements.
Experience
Windows Upgrade Programme & 2nd / 3rd Line IT Support at ION Group (2022-04 – 2025-03)
Initially engaged to deliver a large-scale Windows 11 deployment, successfully migrating users to new enterprise hardware and operating systems. Following successful completion, the role expanded into 2nd and 3rd line IT role supporting enterprise systems during ongoing company acquisitions and technology integrations.
- Deployment of Windows 11 and enterprise laptop hardware across the organisation
- 2nd and 3rd line IT support across multiple internal systems
- Supporting technology integration during corporate acquisitions
- Managing and troubleshooting enterprise software environments
- Supporting global users across rapidly expanding technology infrastructure
Technology Consultant / Project Delivery at Techtrus Consultancy (2019-04 – 2022-03)
Provided consultancy services and enterprise IT support across a range of large organisations, delivering infrastructure deployments, Windows upgrades and Microsoft 365 implementation projects.
- Delivery of Windows 10 and Windows 11 enterprise migrations
- Microsoft Office 365 deployment and configuration
- Laptop and desktop rollout programmes
- Autopilot provisioning and enterprise device configuration
- IT asset management and inventory tracking
- End-user support across multiple enterprise environments
Telecommunications Trading & Technology Roles at Colt Technology Services (2002-01 – 2019-12)
17 years' experience in the international telecom wholesale voice trading market, combining commercial trading activity with technology platform development. Responsibilities included trading international voice traffic, managing carrier relationships, developing automation tools, and improving operational efficiency across telecom trading platforms.
- Managed international wholesale voice trading portfolio generating £38M+ annual revenue across global carriers
- Traded international wholesale voice minutes across global carrier networks
- Designed and developed internal telecom trading automation tools reducing manual pricing and routing tasks by up to 20 hours per week per trader
- Managed supplier relationships and negotiated carrier agreements
- Negotiated strategic interconnects for high margin traffic
- Reduced operational workload through automation and system integration
- Optimised international telecom traffic routing and pricing to maximise trading margins across multiple carrier relationships
- Monitored CDRs / ASR / ACD / PDD / FAS metrics for quality decision making
Telecommunications Trading & Technology Roles at Lumen Technologies (Level 3) (2002-01 – 2019-12)
17 years' experience in the international telecom wholesale voice trading market, combining commercial trading activity with technology platform development.
Telecommunications Trading & Technology Roles at IDT Corporation (2002-01 – 2019-12)
17 years' experience in the international telecom wholesale voice trading market, combining commercial trading activity with technology platform development.
Co-Founder / Product Development at DMS Marketing Group
Co-founded a technology company focused on improving how businesses communicate with customers using digital platforms and public Wi-Fi technologies. The company introduced innovative concepts that later became widely adopted across hospitality and retail sectors, particularly following the shift to digital ordering during the COVID period.
- Developed Wi-Fi marketing and customer engagement platforms
- Built early mobile ordering applications for hospitality businesses
- Created technology products tailored to client-specific needs
- Managed supplier relationships and solution implementation
Education
Bachelor of Commerce in Economics & Business Management – University of South Africa
